Page 1 of Twisted Lies

Prologue

ELIJAH

Rebecca, my youngest sister, had been calling all afternoon. I finally had to shut the phone down. My eyes twitch in annoyance. She knew I was out of town for an important meeting, and whatever it was could wait. She was irate when I left because she wanted to go out of town next week; I told her no, there was too much going on. Dad was concerned over growing tensions. My fingers rub my temples in a hopeless attempt to relieve built up stress.

The Five Families had been more at odds than usual, and it was troubling. Sides were being taken. In the past, we all ruled our own territory with little involvement from the other families. Once a month, we would gather to go over reports and issues, but mostly stayed out of each other’s way. In the last few meetings, it seemed some had more opinions than they should. If it continued, someone would start a war over it, and the last thing we needed was a war to disrupt the money flow and power balance. Needless death would follow. I’m all for a killing when the occasion calls for it, but war interrupts business, and that I won’t stand for.

Sliding into the back of the car, I wait for Pete to drive down the road before returning her call. I breathe out and shrug out of my black coat jacket. Tossing the coat to the side, I wait for her to answer. She’s probably calling to convince me to change my mind. I’m not changing my decision; I give into both my sisters way too often as is.

After the third ring, she picks up. “Rebecca, what’s going on?” I ask, already envisioning how this conversation will go. She’ll ask me to go. I’ll say no, and she’ll try again with a little more begging in her voice. The meeting thankfully went well today, but I’m still uneasy. The quicker I get off the phone, the sooner I can come up with a plan B if shit hits the fan. I don’t believe Phillip Cruz will double-cross us, but I also know not to trust anyone in this life.Criminals, as it turns out, do not have the best consciences.

“He’s gone.” Her voice is emotionless.

My blood turns cold, and I go motionless. “Who’s gone?” I demand, sitting straighter in the black leather seat, knowing the only person she could mean but not believing it.It’s not possible. Iwillnot allow it to be possible.

Pete’s eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror and he hits the gas.

“Dad.”

I was expecting her to say this, but it’s still a punch to the gut. Something within me shifts.

“I’m on my way home. Lock everything down. I’ll call the others. I’ll call Claire.”Oh God, Claire. How the hell am I going to tell her that he’s dead?

“No. Claire knows. I called her.” She speaks robotically.

I wince at her words, knowing I should have been the one there to handle this. I should never have left town, I left them unprotected. “I’ll be there soon” is all I can think to say before hanging up. All the words I should say and that I want to say are jumbled up in my mind. The less said, the better at the moment. It would all come out wrong.

“Don’t say it,” I command, looking at the men in the car. I know they want to ask what’s going on. I know they already have a clue, and I know they would lead any question with the term ‘boss,’ a title I wish still belonged to my father.

* * *

CLAIRE

The results mock me as I stare, shocked, at the pregnancy test. My thoughts are racing so fast that I almost miss my phone dinging on the sink.Now what? Rebecca. “Hey. Can it wait?” I ask, trying to get control of my emotions. Pregnant.How? Well, I know how, but I wasn’t expecting this. We’d been careful for the most part and I’m on the pill. Yes, I missed my period, but my period has never been consistent, and I’ve been known to skip it for months. I have no clue how Mike will react. We haven’t discussed kids.

My hand moves to my still flat stomach, and I find I don’t feel as scared or worried as I’d expected. This baby will be the best of me, and maybe I can keep her or him out of this life, as I have Mike. We can do this. I just need to get stuff in order with my family and Mike. Make sure this is something he wants as much as I do. The ring on my finger means nothing if he doesn’t want this the same way. I can always raise the child on my own, but I want Mike by my side. Mike left this morning for business. I’ll tell him when he gets back and hope for the best. I’m already picturing a baby boy with his eyes.

I return to my phone. Rebecca’s breathing sounds hitched, as if she’s trying to find the words but unable to say them. “Claire, you need to come now. It’s Dad. He’s…gone. Please…come…please.”

Air, I need air. I can’t breathe. There isn’t enough air. Pain.

Hanging up, I stumble out of the bathroom, tripping as I get to the door. This can’t be happening. From what Elijah and I had learned from the meetings, everything was going well. The usual issues, but seemingly nothing that would lead to the war that’s just started. But Dad is gone. The one person who was stronger than life itself is gone.

* * *

ELIJAH

The black tie feels more like a noose than a thin piece of fabric. The dark suit is much like the ones I wear daily, but this one feels daunting.This one I’ll burn tonight, I think, not wanting the memories attached to it, even though burning them from my mind will be more challenging. My father’s cold, dead body on the metal coroner’s table flashes in my mind. No matter how much I drank last night, I cannot banish the picture from my psyche.

My father had been shot leaving a meeting at the warehouse. Daniel Ferrari had called and wanted to change days; the meeting wasn’t supposed to be till the following day when I returned home. We had given the shift in date little thought, as Daniel and my father were friends. They worked closely together and had grown together in the ranks of Families.

Adrian Regio, Daniel Ferrari, Tony Costa, GianMarino, and now me: The Five Families that rule New York. It was an agreement going back to the homeland some hundred years ago. It started as a way to protect the others while turning a significant profit when the original men in charge moved to America. Over time, each family found their specialty and ruled their territory with blood and fear. What was once a collective mind splintered off into divisions, divided family lines these last three generations. Division that caused higher tensions and paranoia.

Father’s men suffered the same fate. It was an ambush, and Adrian played a role; now I have to prove it. I told my father we couldn’t trust him. He and my father had never gotten along, and Adrian had grown bold and jealous. A deadly combination. He would never have tried anything without the belief that the others would follow him, or at least fall in line. From what I’ve gathered, two of the Families have fallen in line, and I have to wonder what he has on them or has promised them. Daniel just turned rat. He was unharmed, it could only mean he was in on it.

Rage burns through me, and I can practically feel my hands around their throats.

I hear the door creak open and turn to see Rebecca. Her chestnut hair falls in tight curls. Her face is painted with only slight makeup, enough to give her more color than normal. In appearance, she’s most like Claire. In personality, she’s like no one. My father would call her his little mouse because she would enter and leave rooms as quietly as possible. Never wanting to disturb the people in the room or have others notice her. Unlike the rest of the family, who screamsnotice me, she’s quiet, and would rather blend in. In a way, she’s almost fearful of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. She should have been born into a better family. Not one surrounded by so much darkness.We have sheltered her, trying to keep the light for ourselves, and I worry that has been a mistake.

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